Bob blames 2008 defeat on Makoni, Rex

Mugabe said this while addressing war veterans in Harare Thursday.

The 92 year old leader said as result of his defeat he suffered humiliation during the erstwhile Government of National Unity (GNU) with some African leaders constantly reminding him that he was not the legitimate leader.

The GNU, which lasted between 2009 and 2013, came as a result of the 2008 elections during which Mugabe lost to MDC-T’s Morgan Tsvangirai. After the poll, which saw Mugabe getting 43 percent against Tsvangirai’s 47 percent, there was a run-off which was characterised by a wave of violence against members of the opposition.

Tsvangirai pulled out leaving Mugabe to declare himself the winner but the economic crisis was to eventually force Mugabe to share power with his rival until 2013.

Ahead of the 2008 poll, Makoni and Dabengwa had pulled out of Zanu PF to form Mavambo/Kusile and, according to Dabengwa, the initial talks towards the pull out included the late Mujuru who eventually did not join them.

Addressing war veterans in Harare, Thursday, Mugabe accused Makoni, Dabengwa and the late Mujuru of masterminding his defeat.

“When Makoni, Dabengwa and Mujuru left Zanu PF they were working with some members of the party mobilising people to vote against me.

“They did that and I lost. I got 43 percent and Tsvangirai got 47 percent. What saved us as a party was the constitution which says for one to be a winner they have to garner at least 50 plus one percent,” said Mugabe.

He added, “The whole idea was to work with Tsvangirai as president. They didn’t know that our executive system of governance does not work like that. The winner forms his own government.”

Mugabe said he endured insults during the GNU period with his colleagues at the African Union (AU) constantly telling him that he was not the right person to represent Zimbabwe.

“They would make fun of us at AU. They would tell me that seat is not yours. Tsvangirai should be sitting there, but I persevered,” said Mugabe.

During the campaign for the 2008 polls, Mugabe mocked Makoni, Mavambo/Kusile leader, as a “frog”. Makoni is still the leader of his party while Mujuru died in a suspicious inferno in 2011. His wife, since expelled from Zanu PF, recently said she thought her late husband was shot dead before his body was burnt.